My Dutch driving licence has been lost or stolen abroad. What should I do?
If you are not in the Netherlands and your Dutch driving licence has been lost or stolen, you are not allowed to drive. The steps you need to take depend on the situation.
You must follow a different procedure if your driving licence has been confiscated outside the Netherlands. Find out here what to do if your Dutch driving licence is confiscated while you're abroad.
No driving licence, no driving
Whether you're in the Netherlands or abroad, you must always be able to show a valid driving licence. So if your driving licence has been lost or stolen, you are not allowed to drive. You may get a fine if you drive anyway and the police stop you. And your car insurer may refuse to cover the damage if you cause an accident. Prevent this from happening by organising a new driving licence as soon as possible.
What is your situation?
Step 1: Report loss or theft to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW)
First of all, report the loss or theft of your Dutch driving licence to the RDW. You can do this online via RDW.nl. If you report the loss, no one will be able to misuse your licence. You will need a DigiD to log in.
Report the loss of a Dutch driving licence (RDW.nl, information in Dutch)
If you are unable to log in, you can fill in a statement of loss (pdf, 197 kB). Send the completed form to the RDW by post, or upload it using the RDW contact form (information in Dutch).
You will receive confirmation of the statement of loss from the RDW.
The RDW will then block your driving licence. This means it will no longer be valid. The RDW will notify you when this has been done. You do not need to report the theft or loss of your driving licence to the police.
Step 2: Apply for a new Dutch driving licence
Once your driving licence has been blocked you can apply to the municipality where you live for a new one. The municipality’s website will have information on how to make an appointment and the documents you will need to take.
Step 1: Report loss or theft to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW)
First of all, report the loss or theft of your Dutch driving licence to the RDW. You can do this online via RDW.nl. If you report the loss, no one will be able to misuse your licence. You will need a DigiD to log in.
Report the loss of a Dutch driving licence (RDW.nl, information in Dutch)
If you are unable to log in, you can fill in a statement of loss (pdf, 197 kB). Send the completed form to the RDW by post, or upload it using the RDW contact form (information in Dutch).
You will receive confirmation of the statement of loss from the RDW.
The RDW will then block your driving licence. This means it will no longer be valid. The RDW will notify you when this has been done. You do not need to report the theft or loss of your driving licence to the police.
Step 2: Apply for a new driving licence in your country of residence
If you live in another European Union (EU) country, you cannot apply for a new Dutch driving licence. You can, however, apply for a driving licence issued by the EU country where you live. You will need:
- a certificate of authenticity (echtheidsverklaring) from the RDW (information in Dutch) that shows your driving licence is listed in the Central Driving Licences Register. Visit the RDW website for information on how to apply for a certificate of authenticity. There is a fee for this service. Once you have paid you will receive the certificate of authenticity by post at your address. It will be issued in English.
- in some situations, you will also need the confirmation of statement of loss from the RDW. This varies from country to country.
You will usually require other documents when applying for a driving licence from your country of residence. Read more about which documents these are, and where you can apply for them, on the page on exchanging driving licences in the country where you live.
How can I renew or exchange my Dutch driving licence when I live abroad?
Step 1: Report loss or theft to the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW)
First of all, report the loss or theft of your Dutch driving licence to the RDW. You can do this online via RDW.nl. If you report the loss, no one will be able to misuse your licence. You will need a DigiD to log in.
Report the loss of a Dutch driving licence (RDW.nl, information in Dutch)
If you are unable to log in, you can fill in a statement of loss (pdf, 197 kB). Send the completed form to the RDW by post, or upload it using the RDW contact form (information in Dutch).
You will receive confirmation of the statement of loss from the RDW.
The RDW will then block your driving licence. This means it will no longer be valid. The RDW will notify you when this has been done. You do not need to report the theft or loss of your driving licence to the police.
Step 2: Apply for a new Dutch driving licence
If you live in a country that is not part of the European Union (EU), you can apply for a new Dutch driving licence once you have reported the loss or theft of your current one. Read more about how to do so and the documents you will need on the page on renewing your driving licence.
How can I renew or exchange my Dutch driving licence when I live abroad?
What happens once I’ve submitted my application?
The RDW will assess your application. If your application is approved, they will send your new Dutch driving licence to your correspondence address in the Netherlands. This is the address of a family member or friend in the Netherlands where you can receive post.